When They Met
by Satele
Summary: This is a tale of unrequited love. Well mostly unrequited. WARNING: Merthur fic, don't like don't read. Rated M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! Welcome to my first fic in the Merlin fandom and also my first fic in a very long time. Hope you enjoy it! I very much enjoy Merlin and I also enjoy the Merthur coupling so for those who that doesn't jive with, leaveth now or forever hold your peace when you reach the end of this story and realize it was a Merthur when you were expecting something else.

This fic is meant to be a series of snapshots in to the relationship that develops between Merlin and Arthur. Some chapters will be long, others will be short. I have a good many chapters written but there's bits that are pivotal that I haven't written yet so I hope I can keep my focus on this fic long enough to write those chapters out. My goal is to finish this fic come hell or high water. So without further ado, the fic. Oh and a word of warning, this fic has a lot of angst in it. I try not to load it on too thick so hopefully it doesn't break anyone's brain too much.

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**First Meeting**

The first time Arthur saw Merlin, Arthur was smitten.

Of course there was very little room for an inappropriate relationship with another _man_ in Arthur's life so he attempted to quash any and all feelings he had for Merlin mercilessly under the hammer of logic and the shield of ass-hattery.

So his first words to Merlin when Lance politely introduced the both of them at orientation day at university had something to do with Merlin's ears and their proportions and wondering at the Art part of Merlin's quite impressive- in Arthur's private-don't-you-ever-dare-say-it-out-loud opinion- Art and Marketing double major plans though Arthur couldn't really remember since he was trying his damnedest not to stare slack-jawed at the gangly beauty that was Merlin.

Need less to say, Arthur was sure Merlin would have burst in to tears or slapped him if he was female.

Instead, the other boy had glared attractively at Arthur and hit him with a burning quip about his prattish up bringing.

And thus their hatred for each other was born- genuine from Merlin's side and a facade on Arthur's who hoped every day that every glare Merlin sent his way would somehow end the absolutely crippling crush he had developed on sight with Merlin.

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Short and sweet, hope you like it. Concrit welcomed. Flames will be watered with a hose!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again! Here's chapter number two for you all! I should probably take this time to also add the warning that this fic will contain attempted suicide so for those that find this subject disturbing, here's your warning. The fic will be out of chronological order and cover key parts of the development of Merlin's and Arthur's relationship.

Thanks to the reviews from nobodyshouldknow and Nini03! I appreciate your taking the time to review, I hope I don't disappoint!

And now without further ado, the chapter!

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**Two Years, Six Months After Meeting**

This year was a particularly terrible year for Arthur.

It'd started out with Arthur finding out that Merlin had found someone over the summer and had rapidly declined from there. First Arthur found out who the someone was. That someone turned out to be another _man_ named Edwin who was a total creep and was totally not worth Merlin's time or worthy of Merlin at all in Arthur's oh so humble opinion.

Not that he had said anything about it, he wasn't supposed to particularly care what Merlin did either way so he'd kept mum while stewing quietly in his proverbial corner while Edwin integrated himself nicely in to their group. Arthur was standoffish and snippy with Edwin and the already strained relationship between himself and Merlin became even more so until they were almost forcing their friends to choose sides between them.

It didn't help that it was a _man_ Merlin was dating and not a woman was Arthur had hoped yet not hoped when he had found out Merlin had found someone over the summer. At least if the person had been a woman, Arthur could have stewed in jealousy and longing but eventually convinced himself to get over Merlin since it was now virtually impossible for Arthur to have any sort of relationship with Merlin when Merlin was mercifully straight.

But the universe was merci_less_ and Merlin turned out to be as gay as Arthur was- though Arthur was strictly in the closet for the rest of his natural life- which meant Arthur had had a chance and still had a chance with Merlin no matter how slim and that gave him _hope_ which was so painful Arthur was tempted to cut his own heart out.

Stupid, lively _hope_.

It made Arthur want and dream about Merlin even more then he already did. Made his traitorous mind dream up scenario's wherein he would confess his undying love to Merlin and Merlin would dump Edwin in a heart beat and let Arthur sweep him up in his arms and carry him off in to the sunset like some sort of cheesy horrible ending to a romantic comedy.

And Arthur had been close to doing it.

He'd been psyching himself up for it, his dreams having become so strong with his longing for Merlin that the realities he'd created in his dreams were seeping in to his waking life. He'd been readying himself to lay everything on the line for Merlin, phone in hand, Merlin's number on his screen when the call from his father had come and he'd been dragged back in to brutal reality.

And that was the next horrible thing that had happened to him that year; the reentry of his demanding yet never to be pleased father back in to his life. He'd been so shocked- and secretly though shamefully elated- at his father's sudden wish to be a part of his secretly gay sons life again that he hadn't known what he'd agreed to until he'd found himself on several dinner dates with several promising young women that met his father's standards.

That was when he realized that his father was trying to set him up with Uther- approved young women, convinced that Arthur was firstly, past his 'gay phase' in life and secondly, ready to get married and start a family so that Uther's image as a business man able to balance the obligations of family and work could continue on in earnest.

Also so that Uther could further his business interests with whatever family Uther married Arthur off to which was why the women needed to be approved by him.

At first, Arthur was shocked and outraged. Conversations with Morgana, his half-sister, revealed that she had known nothing before hand of Uther's plans. But that wasn't so far fetched as Morgana and Uther were not on speaking terms any more and hadn't been for a long while.

She'd advised him to stick it to Uther and date what ever girl he desired -Morgana didn't know about his status as a gay male and he'd never told her though he wasn't sure as to the reason why he'd never told her. Eventually he'd caved to his father's wishes though, too afraid of disappointing his father again and desperately wanting to earn his respect. So he'd started dating a girl his father approved of, a spunky though clumsy girl named Elena that Arthur wasn't too thrown off by.

Of course Merlin had to break up with Edwin three days later, effectively throwing Arthur for another loop, wondering if he should just go for it and break up with Elena after only dating her for three days and ask Merlin out straight after timing be damned.

Of course his father had shown up again as if he could sense Arthur's rapidly declining straightness and made sure to remind Arthur of all his familial obligations and the _shame_ his actions in high school had brought to the Pendragon name and to make sure he _never_ did anything like that again. Then he'd laid a fatherly hand on Arthur's shoulder and told him he was _proud_ of Arthur overcoming his 'short comings' and Arthur hadn't been able to think past the fact that _Uther _was finally _proud_ of something he'd done after all these years.

Even though those actions did make him completely miserable he was going to keep doing it, because finally, he wasn't bringing shame to his father and the Pendragon name.

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Thanks for reading! Reviews and concrit welcome! Flames will be doused by my merry band of penguins!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three for you all my lovelies! I should probably note that I don't own Merlin which is owned by the BBC. I'm just playing around with their lovely characters and then giving them back in one piece hopefully.

Thanks to AmandaFray, I swear I'm not crazy and Nini03 for their reviews last chapter!

In response to Nini03's question: In the last chapter, Merlin and Arthur were technically still in the acquaintance stage of their relationship despite knowing each other for two and a half years. They're still at odds with each other even though Arthur has been secretly crushing on Merlin since they met.

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**Christmas One Year After Meeting**

Arthur had had to pretend he hadn't known it was Merlin's birthday on December the first, so he hadn't been able to give the brunette the cook book he'd impulsively bought while thinking of Merlin when he'd been in a particularly maudlin mood.

_"Merlin should really consider dating me so he can have me as a sugar daddy, I buy crap for him whenever I'm depressed,"_ Arthur thought moodily as he paid the gift wrapper at the bustling mall to wrap the book up. It was a fairly pricey cook book Merlin had been gushing over to Gwen a while back when the group had wandered to the mall in a fit of boredom. Merlin was still gushing over it even after two months and no one had gotten it for Merlin yet or was planning on doing so to the best of Arthur's knowledge. So Arthur decided it was a safe gift for Merlin that the other boy would like.

"Can you write the card for me too?" Arthur queried the tired and annoyed looking gift wrapper, favouring her with a winning smile that seemed to have no affect. She grunted in annoyance and swiped up a pen from the counter holding it over a simple blue snowflake patterned gift tag.

"Erm, write to Merlin, Happy Christmas."

"Any from?" the girl asked after scrawling it out in surprisingly neat print. Arthur blinked in confusion before realizing what she meant before shaking his head in the negative.

"Secret Santa and all that," he lied smoothly and swept up the gift after she neatly taped the gift tag to the present.

Giving the gift to Merlin without being found out was harder than anticipated for Arthur and the thankfully decently sized cookbook stayed safely in his satchel for almost a week before he'd found the perfect opportunity to stealthily offload it one evening at the end of term.

In a stroke of luck, he'd been with Lance when Gwen had unceremoniously shoved a scarf in to Lance's hand hurriedly explain that she'd borrowed it from Merlin and needed Lance to return it for her before she forgot after which, she dashed off madly for her last final.

Since Arthur and Lance had plans, Lance had 'dragged' Arthur with him to Merlin's dorm where they'd been let in by a rather flustered Merlin who explained to Lance while generally ignoring Arthur that he was in the middle of packing but do come in. Arthur's chance had come seconds later in the form of Will- Merlin's best friend and roommate- bodily dragging both Lance and Merlin off to take a look at something in his room and no Arthur wasn't allowed to see it let alone go in to Will's room because if possible, Will hated Arthur more then Merlin did.

Arthur didn't take offense to it that time because it gave him the chance to madly dash in to Merlin's room, dump the red and gold present, make a false start to leave the room, turn around and rearrange the presents on Merlin's bed to more effectively hide his secret present before madly dashing out of the room again and arranging himself in artful innocence on one of the rickety dining room table chairs just as the three other boys exited Will's room.

They all looked suspiciously at Arthur while Arthur made a show of staring studiously at his blank phone screen.

Mission success.

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Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I've gotten quite a bit of the later parts of their relationship written out but I have to decide what order to post them in. But stay tuned for more! As usual, reviews and concrit are welcomed. Flames will be doused in a pool of ice cold water. :P


	4. Chapter 4

Hello all! Here's the next chapter for you all! Unfortunately this is going to be the only Merlin/Arthur action for a very long while in this fic. I've written out a good many chapters of the fic already and have the rest of the chapters planned out and it's fairly angsty with lots of heartache for Arthur.

Thanks to AmandaFray and Nini03 for their reviews last chapter!

Here's the chapter now!

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**Five Years, Nine Months After Meeting**

Arthur swallowed heavily as he stared at Merlin's sleeping form.

The sight wasn't anything special. The blinds of the living room of the small flat he rented were drawn shut so no convenient shafts of moonlight could fall dramatically across Merlin's face to bath it in silvery rays causing his face to glow effervescently. Instead, the faint glow of the hallway light illuminated the sofa just enough so that Arthur could see that Merlin was curled into a loose ball on his side, blankets strewn haphazardly about his thin frame.

His face was titled upward exposing his throat, a long expanse of flash that was making Arthur's mouth water just looking at it. His cheek bones were highlighted gently by the shadows falling across his face and his silky brown hair was a tousled mess atop his head. It was the most beautiful sight Arthur had ever seen and he was compelled to _touch_ because it was _Merlin_. He was crouched besides Merlin's head on the balls of his feet before he knew it and all he could think about was stealing a kiss from Merlin.

Just one.

He didn't think he'd get another chance like this and he wanted to indulge himself. Just this once. Merlin would never know anyways. So he bent his head down, lips hovering a hair over Merlin's as he paused, heart thundering in his chest. Arthur could feel his face flushing and Merlin's breath ghosting gently over his face almost made him lost his nerve. But Arthur steeled himself and pushed forward, his lips sealing over Merlin's in a chaste kiss.

For a few seconds, Arthur felt absolute bliss.

In the future if asked, Arthur would not hesitate in saying that this was the single happiest moment in his life. The weight of the world lifted from Arthur's shoulders and all he could feel was an all encompassing happiness as he kissed Merlin. Arthur pulled back slowly and reluctantly, their lips parting with a soft smack. He lifted a questioning hand to his face as something wet dripped off it on to the leather surface of the couch near Merlin's head.

He lifted his hand away in surprise when he felt the wet trails of tear tracks on them. Sitting back on his heels, he wondered at the state of his life that a stolen kiss with the unconscious object of his unrequited affections could bring tears to his eyes.

_"My life sucks,"_ Arthur thought despondently as he got up, pulling the blanket up around Merlin's shoulders and tucking them more securely around his curled form. He lay a lingering kiss on Merlin's forehead before moving out of the living room, turning off the hallway light as he left.

It was a long time before he was able to fall asleep that night.

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Alright reviews and concrit welcome! Flames will be doused using buckets of the rain pouring down where I am right now!


	5. Chapter 5

Hello all! Welcome to the next chapter! Much longer chapter this time around! I hope you all enjoy it!

Thanks to Nini03, ForzaDelDestino and I swear I'm not crazy for reviewing last chapter!

And without further ado, here's the chapter!

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**Two Years, Nine Months After Meeting**

"We were only going out for like eight months, but I still feel like my life is over!"

Arthur blinked slowly, his mind refusing to comprehend the situation he was in.

In a pique of drunkenness, Merlin had decided for some unfathomable reason, to drape himself across Arthur's lap. Not Gwen's lap, not Lance's, not Morgana's, but _his lap!_ Arthur was simultaneously in heaven and hell. Heaven because it was _Merlin_ and he was draped across _his_ lap. Arthur couldn't emphasize that point enough. The blonde had to control the reflexive urge to stick his nose in to Merlin's neck and inhale his intoxicating scent.

Even the over coating of alcohol couldn't deter Arthur.

But it was definitely also hell because Merlin was draped across his lap and he couldn't touch him despite their close proximity, none of which was initiated by him. He kept his hands firmly pinned to his sides and thanked the gods he had been late coming to this meet up because Arthur didn't think he would have been able to control himself if he was a drunk as Merlin was right now.

He didn't really want to answer awkward questions from his friends about why he'd suddenly felt compelled to feel Merlin up let alone answer the question _why_ he was okay with feeling another _man_ up all of a sudden when he was strictly straight as far as his friends knew. And speaking of which, where were those 'friends' right now so to speak? Their table now lay abandoned; it was just Merlin and Arthur sitting at the table together.

Arthur was surprised that no one seemed uncomfortable with the thought of leaving the two of them alone together considering their prior history. Arthur sighed. He could really used the threat of scrutinizing eyes right now. It was getting harder and harder to resist the urge to make out with Merlin's throat because it was right _there_, stretched out enticingly across his right thigh, an expanse of ridiculously pale skin attached to Merlin's ridiculously cute head which was currently nodding around to some invisible beat as he stared up with glassy eyes at Arthur.

"Heeeeey Arthur, you're actually kind of cute..." Merlin giggled, blue eyes half-lidded and Arthur could almost imagine that they were come-hither eyes Merlin was making at him. He felt his heart rate sky rocket instantly in response to Merlin's comment and his less than pristine thoughts. Arthur could feel a hot flush wending its way up the back of his neck to his cheeks.

"You're drunk you stupid idiot," he bit out defensively, cursing himself for feeling so stupidly excited at Merlin's off hand comment. The brunette pouted and looked away from Arthur.

"Graugh, stupid Edwin," Merlin grumbled and pulled himself clumsily off of Arthur's lap. The blonde found himself missing the contact though he quashed those sentiments mercilessly by taking a fortifying swig of his beer.

"Edwin was a creepy jerk Merlin," Arthur found himself blurting out instead. He winced at the forwardness of the comment. He wasn't on good enough terms with Merlin to have any right to make such a comment. Merlin just began giggling. Arthur frowned.

"You're just saying that because you didn't like him."

Arthur's frown deepened.

"No, I"m saying that because he _was_ a creepy jerk. Even Morgana and Gwen thought so too and they had lots of time to spend with Edwin to get to know him."

"Oh, so you're just following the opinion of the masses now are you?" Merlin turned a surprisingly focused gaze on him.

"Now that just makes me sound like a stupid drone," Arthur protested. "I can make my own judgements for myself thank-you very much!"

"Okay then, so what's your judgement on me then?" Merlin stared at him with a challenging light in his eyes. It was patently unfair that Merlin managed to be so alert and sharp despite how drunk Arthur knew him to be at the moment. The blonde was silent for a moment as he mulled over his answer.

"Oh judging by the long, silent pause you must think I'm a creepy jerk also," Merlin took a swig of a beer Arthur quickly recognized was his since his pint was suddenly missing from in front of him.

"Hey that's mine!" Arthur protested, hand shooting out to grab at his pint. Merlin skillfully dodged his attempted with surprising dexterity and finesse considering his drunken state.

"Answer the question Arthur," Merlin sing-songed from around Arthur's pint, his tone playful though his eyes were completely serious. Arthur huffed.

"Where is all of this coming from?" He groused, strangely reluctant to answer Merlin's question.

"It's a valid question, what do you think of me?"

"You're an idiot!" Arthur snapped, frustration and annoyance getting the better of him. Merlin's face dropped in to a frown.

"Well, no wonder—"

"But you're a nice idiot," Arthur motored on, cutting off whatever Merlin was about to say. Merlin's cheeks puffed out as he stared in confusion.

"You're intelligent and kind and care far too much about everyone else for your own good. And you're not a creep like Edwin." He cut himself off before accolades to Merlin's divine beauty began spouting off out of his mouth without his permission. That would just be embarrassing for Arthur and he was sure it would give Merlin a heart attack given his currently flabbergasted state. The other man's mouth was doing a nice impression of a dying fish on lands and his eyes were bugging out, the whites of his eyes showing.

"B-b-but you hate me!" Merlin sputtered out. "We hate each other! Well we're supposed to, you're always so mean to me!"

"We hardly talk Merlin," Arthur replied, studiously refusing to acknowledge the first year of their "acquaintanceship" where he'd used juvenile playground tactics in a misguided attempt to push Merlin away yet still keep the brunette's attention on him at the same time.

"Well that was after you were a total jerk to me!" Merlin flapped his hand about as if that would help emphasize his point.

"Well what do you think of me?" Arthur asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"You're a prat," Merlin replied instantly. "An arrogant, self-centred prat."

Arthur sighed, regretting having ever asked.

"But," Merlin paused, eyebrows scrunched adorably. "You can be really nice when you let yourself be. Nice and pleasant. And you can be funny. Also when you let yourself be. I always wonder why you hate me so much because I actually think we could be good friends."

"I don't hate you," Arthur said softly.

"Then why are you such a special prat to me?" Merlin asked. "You're not half the prat to other people as you are to me."

No way was Arthur going to tell Merlin the actual reason behind his prattishness so he just shrugged awkwardly while scrambling for an answer.

"I... I think we just started off on the wrong foot," Arthur answered eventually. "And well I guess I _was_ a bit immature when we met so I was a prat to you. But I promise you that I've grown up."

Merlin chuckled. "Grown up into a mature prat."

Arthur chuckled along with him. And suddenly he didn't want this to end. He didn't want this sudden warm and easy camaraderie he and Merlin were sharing to end. He didn't want to leave the bar tonight and return to being on barely speaking terms with Merlin. He just didn't want to be without Merlin. Not any more. And so he took the plunge.

"Merlin, I'm... I'm sorry for being such a prat and all that all these years. I'm not sure why I was, but I'd like for us to start again with a clean slate."

Merlin studied him from around his stolen pint glass.

"Alright," the brunette nodded. "Alright, I think we can do that."

Arthur couldn't fight back his answering smile and Merlin grinned back at him.

"To new beginnings!" Merlin toasted raising his or rather _Arthur's_ pint glass in to the air. Beer sloshed over the side as Merlin's arm seemed to jerk involuntarily and the amber liquid welled over the side and splashed onto Merlin's face. Arthur almost cracked a rib laughing as he tried to help Merlin clean up the spilled beer though he was laughing too hard to be of much use.

"You're still sloshed," Arthur gasped. "It's a wonder we've managed to have such a sensible conversation."

"Hey!" Merlin protested. "I happen to be a very intelligible and coherent drunk. I'm just... horribly uncoordinated when smashed..."

"Will you even remember this conversation tomorrow?" Arthur spoke trying to keep his tone light while he asked the question, but he still couldn't hide his uncertainty from his face. This was progress he had just made with Merlin that he was reluctant to lose just because Merlin had been too drunk to remember it. Merlin giggled.

"Oh no, I won't forget this. I finally made friends with _the _Arthur Pendragon, I'm going to remember this forever. Now we need to toast this properly!" Merlin exclaimed. He paused, frowning.

"Where's your drink?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Idiot, you stole it."

"Well why haven't you ordered another?" Merlin squawked looking offended, even though he had been the only one to commit any sort of offense.

"You're paying for it," Arthur stated, narrowing his eyes at Merlin as he raised his hand to call a server over. Merlin squawked in protest again and they spent the rest of the night bickering good-naturedly, acting like they had been friends for years instead of like two people who had only just made a step in that direction.

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Reviews and concrit are welcome! Flames will be doused with _your _tears when I get my hands on you!


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